New Beginnings
by meggz106
Summary: Tsunade has just returned to the village with Jiraiya and is ready but nervous to take on her new role as Fifth Hokage. The pair's friendship is rekindled, but can it grow into something more?


**Hello Readers!**

**This is the first fanfiction I have written in years! I recently started to watch old episodes of Naruto and then started to read some of my old stories. I felt compelled to write another story. I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

Tsunade stood in front of the great red building that she was all too familiar with, feeling as if her heart was about to beat out of her chest. She had just returned to the village with Shizune, Jiraiya, Naruto, and her faithful pet pig TonTon in tow. She abandoned the village years ago and was now expected to stand as their Fifth Hokage. A part of her wondered if she was up for the job. She would now be the greatest figure of authority in the village, but she had some big shoes to fill. The Hokage who came before her were all so kind and wise. The entire village adored and idolized them. How could she, someone who walked away from the village and her duties as a kunoichi, possibly compare to them? She was nervous, which was completely out of her character. She had always been a confident person, but now she felt as if she was not good enough to be the Hokage. She decided to come back to the village because of her deceased brother and lover. It was their dream to become the Hokage, and now, in their honor, she was living the dream for them. But could she do it?

She stood there, lost in her own thoughts and buried in her insecurities as Jiraiya sent Naruto home. There was no need for him to be there since the rest of the day was more than likely going to be taken up with official Hokage meetings, and of course making a report to the village elders about the unfortunate altercation with Orochimaru. She thought about how she nearly died going head to head with her former teammate. How did all those events unfold so quickly? Just a few days ago she was living her nomadic lifestyle, moving from town to town, village to village, gambling her life away, and skipping out on her debt, but also living in a constant state of depression. Now she was back in her old village with Jiraiya, her longest and probably closet friend, about to take on the most coveted job among shinobi. How did her life change so quickly?

"We should probably head on up," Jiraiya said as he looked at Tsunade, "Koharu and Homura are expecting us and we already made them wait longer than they should." Jiraiya noticed something was wrong with Tsunade. He has known her for his entire life, and became so adept at reading her facial expressions, that he knew that she was worried about something.

"Lady Tsunade, is everything alright?" Shizune asked, noticing that her mentor was being very quiet for someone who was about to become Hokage.

Jiraiya reached over to Tsunade and took the bag that she was holding out her hand and gave it to Shizune, "Shizune, how about you go on up and let the elders know that Tsunade and I will be on our way soon." He knew that what Tsunade needed right now was space before she jumped into all those long, boring meetings.

"But," Shizune started but was soon interrupted by Tsunade.

Tsunade looked at her assistant with a smile, though fake in every sense, "I just need to walk around the village for a little," She said, "I haven't been here in so long, I just need to familiarize myself with it again." She could tell what Jiraiya was trying to do and for once, she had no objections. Sometimes she thought that he knew her better than she knew herself. Shizune had no further objections and did as she was told. Before heading up to the Hokage building, she turned around to watch her mentor and the toad sage walk away, wondering to herself what Tsunade was currently going through.

Tsunade and Jiraiya walked through the village in complete silence. It was as if Tsunade was in her own world, and Jiraiya was just letting her be, for now. He led the way since Tsunade was not familiar with the new, more modern layout of the village. She continued to follow his lead, as villagers walked past her, staring, and wondering who she was. She felt as if she was on display, under the scrutiny of everyone in the village. If she could have just disappeared she would have. She stopped walking and looked at Jiraiya with so much uncertainty in her eyes, silently pleading for him to take her somewhere where nobody could see her and judge her. He took hold of her small, yet powerful hand and led her up the stairs of an apartment building. She wondered why he would be taking her there, but realization dawned on her when he turned a key in the door frame, confirming that this apartment in fact belonged to him.

He led her into his small apartment that from the looks of it was big enough to fit a double bed, a tiny kitchen, a bathroom, and a rather small living area. It wasn't very clean, for articles of clothing were scattered on the floor, all belonging to Jiraiya. There were soiled dishes piled in the sink, and there was a musty smell lingering, "You live here?" Tsunade asked, not really surprised about the condition of the place. Jiraiya was always a messy person, but that's what made him Jiraiya.

Jiraiya scratched his head with a crooked smile, "I rent the place just so I can have somewhere to stay when I'm in the village. I'm sure you can tell that I'm rarely ever here."

"I actually thought that you've been staying here for a while." She teased and sat on his small couch and buried her head in her hands.

Jiraiya sat beside her and put his hand on her upper back for support even though he wasn't certain how she would have reacted to that gesture. He believed it was the right thing to do at the time, "Are you going to tell me what's wrong or do you want me to guess?" He asked as he started to gently rub her back, bravely testing the waters.

In normal circumstances Tsunade would have swatted his hand away from her and punched him out just for touching her, but in that moment it was nice to be comforted by a friend, "What am I doing here Jiraiya?" She said in a weak tone that Jiraiya was not familiar with, "I don't know if I'm cut out for this job. I'm nothing like my grandfather or even Sarutobi Sensei. How can I compare to them?"

He had never seen her so insecure, so worried. Has life's unkind circumstances really taken it's toll on her? He got up from his previous position and walked over to a cabinet in the kitchen. From there he retrieved a dusty bottle of sake, and two glasses that he quickly rinsed out to rid them of the months of dust that settled on them. He walked back over to Tsunade and began to pour her a drink. Yes, it was the middle of the day but that never stopped Tsunade from drinking her fill. He knew that this was exactly what she needed, "How long has that been in there?" She asked, eyeing the clear liquid being poured into the glass.

"Who knows," He laughed, "but aged liquor is always the best." He handed her a glass and watched as she drank the entire thing in one quick gulp. He poured her another round and helped himself to a drink.

Tsunade was by no means a lightweight, but already a pink tint rose to her cheeks and she was starting to feel the stress she was under go away. She knew that she probably should not have been drinking due to the simple fact that she had to attend numerous meetings and was expected to be completely alert and input her thoughts. However, in that moment she just needed something to take the edge off and calm her frazzled spirits.

Jiraiya could hardly believe that Tsunade was that worried about how the village would receive her as Hokage, and he found it strange that she had so many insecurities. How could she not see that she was the only one qualified for the job? Besides the fact that the position was basically buried in her being since her grandfather, uncle, and even sensei were all Hokages, Tsunade was considered to be the strongest female ninja alive with an extensive knowledge of medical ninjutsu. She could hold her own in battle, but she also had the rare ability to heal others around her. On top of that, she was certainly intelligent enough to handle the administrative side of the job. Despite her impressive resume, she was still unsure of herself. But why?

He couldn't stand to sit there in silence any longer. He had to offer her words of encouragement, even if she wouldn't listen to him, "For what it's worth Tsunade," He started and put his hand on her back once again, "I think you're going to be a great Hokage. You don't have to be just like your predecessors to be great. You're amazing just the way you are. That's why I recommended you for the job." Jiraiya has always been impressed by not only Tsunade's skills, but the care and concern she exhibits for those around her. In his eyes, she was an amazing person and he had no doubt in mind that she wouldn't be an effective leader.

She looked at him with rosy cheeks and tears in her eyes that she refused to let fall. She didn't want to cry in front of him, she was too prideful for that. However, she felt so happy and relieved that at least he believed in her that she couldn't help but be emotional. She wondered if everyone else could believe in her the way he did. Against her better judgement, she placed her drink on the small, dusty coffee table in front of them and wrapped her slender arms around his robust frame and enveloped him in a hug. He was shocked for Tsunade has never willingly hugged him before. He felt his heart soar as he breathed in her delicate scent and cautiously, he hugged her back. It was a tender moment between the two which caused all of Jiraiya's feelings for her that he forced away to come back. For his entire life, he has cared for her so much that the reality of her not sharing the same feelings for him, prevented him from ever truly being happy with anyone else. He watched as she fell in love with Dan, and every single time he saw them together, his heart broke a little more. He didn't dare to interfere in that relationship though, because he could tell that she was truly happy with him. At the end of the day, her happiness was his top priority, even if that meant him being hurt in the process.

She broke away from his embrace and looked at him with a sweet smile on her face. This person sitting beside her has always been there for her. Throughout their childhood, he always tried to protect her, even though she didn't need protecting. He has always been her punching bag when she needed to let her rage out. He offered her support when her brother died, and was her shoulder to cry on when Dan died as well. She wouldn't admit it in that moment, but she was grateful that they were reunited. She didn't realize how much she actually missed him. After their hug, she felt something for him, something that she could not fully explain. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe it was due to her unusual emotional state. She didn't know what it was, but decided not to figure it out right then and there, "We should probably go back now." She said, suddenly feeling a little awkward.

"You're right." He said and helped her to her feet, "Wouldn't want to keep those two waiting any longer."

Tsunade rolled her honey colored eyes at the thought of having to sit among the village advisors, "Those two have always been so annoying," she recalled, "They never let us visit Sarutobi Sensei when he was in his office." Those truly were better days, when they were just young, inexperienced kids, who never understood what it was like to endure hardship and pain. The three of them were a team with the Third Hokage leading them. Who would have thought that Orochimaru would have defected and become their worst enemy?

Tsunade and Jiraiya started their short journey back to the Hokage building. However, this time around, Tsunade was more confident than before and didn't feel as if everyone around her was judging her. A few people came up to them, expressing how they heard that Tsunade was going to become the new Hokage and wanted to introduce themselves. A couple young girls also approached Tsunade, telling her how they looked up to her and wanted to become as strong as she is. Jiraiya just looked on with pride and admiration. Those young girls viewed Tsunade as their role model and aspired to be just like her. Little did Tsunade know that she was already making a lasting impact on the village due to the mere fact that she was the first female Hokage. What an inspiration to all the female shinobi of not only the Leaf, but every other village in Land.

After mingling with the villagers, they finally made it back to the Hokage building. The guards situated at the gate immediately allowed them in, knowing exactly who they were, and the pair started their walk up the numerous stairs the building had. After entering the building, they immediately saw Shizune standing outside the conference room with a relieved look on her face, "Lady Tsunade," she sighed in relief, "I was beginning to think you weren't going to come back." She then noticed her mentor had a rosy tint to her cheeks that only appeared when she had a drink or two, "Lady Tsunade have you been drinking?!" She exclaimed in shock.

"Pipe down Shizune, it's not a big deal," Tsunade said, slightly irritated, "besides, I'm not even drunk." She assured her while Jiraiya just looked on in amusement. He remembered when Shizune was just a small, slender child when Tsunade first took her in. She was the niece of Dan so Tsunade felt obligated to look after her after he died. However, over the years Tsunade gained a connection to her and they became family. Tsunade even taught her the art of medical ninjutsu.

"The elders are waiting in there," Shizune said as she pointed to the closed door, "and let me just say that they aren't too happy with you Lady Tsunade."

"I could care less." Tsunade shrugged her shoulders and walked defiantly in the room with Shizune following behind, preparing for the worst, and Jiraiya as well, finding the entire situation to be quite comical.

Koharu and Homura were already seated at the long, conference table with less than amused looks on their wrinkled faces. They always knew that Tsunade was stubborn, but it seems as if it got worse as she grew older, "Took you long enough Tsunade." Koharu said in a serious tone, as if she were scolding the blonde Hokage.

"There was already a delay in you getting here due to Jiraiya wasting time on the road and your encounter with Orochimaru and then you make us wait even longer when you're actually in the village." Homura said while giving Jiraiya a dirty look as if it were his fault, "We have a lot to discuss Tsunade so take a seat. We must first talk about the inauguration ceremony."

Tsunade took a seat reluctantly, expecting Jiraiya to grab a seat as well, only to hear Koharu dismiss him, "You can go Jiraiya. You did your duty so now you're no longer needed here."

"He doesn't have to leave." Tsunade interjected, not really wanting to be left alone with the two miserable advisors.

"No it's okay Tsunade," He started, "I'm not one for boring meetings anyway."

Jiraiya left the room and as soon as he left Tsunade got up from the table to go after him. Koharu tried to stop her from going by telling her to sit down, but of course Tsunade ignored the old lady and ran out the room to catch up to Jiraiya. Shizune just stood there with a blank expression on her face. She was very aware that this meeting was not going according to plan.

"Jiraiya wait!" Tsunade yelled, stopping the white haired man in his tracks. He turned around to see Tsunade standing before him, slightly panting due to the running she had to do to catch up to him. Tsunade was a very agile person, but she did have alcohol in her system so it slowed her down slightly and caused her to become winded faster than usual. Jiraiya just looked at her, not really surprised that she walked out of her meeting, but curious as to what she was about to say. She walked up to him and held one of his course hands, "I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for everything."

He couldn't believe that she was actually standing before him, holding his hand, telling him thank you. She has never muttered those words to him before and yet here she was expressing her gratitude to him. She really has changed hasn't she. He gave her soft hand a reassuring squeeze and smiled at her with sincerity, "You don't have to thank me."

She smiled back at him, once again feeling that same feeling she had for him before. She was still unable to explain her feelings, but there was just something that happened to her every time he smiled at her or looked at her gently, "See you around idiot." She teased and gave him a playful punch on his shoulder. She walked back into her meeting slightly conflicted about her feelings, but happy nevertheless. She didn't know what the future held for her and her longest friend, but whatever happened, she was certain that coming back to the village was the best decision she has ever made in a long time.

Jiraiya opened the door once again to his small apartment and his eyes immediately fell on the couch where they shared their hug. As he thought about that shocking, yet soft moment between him and his teammate, he couldn't help but allow a smile to emerge on his face. He then started to clean his apartment, which was something he almost never did. He figured that with Tsunade back in the village, he would be staying there more often. He too had no idea what would happen in the future, but this was a new beginning for the two of them and he was excited to see how everything would unfold.

* * *

**Please leave a review and let me know if I should continue!**

**Thanks for reading!**


End file.
